𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞

𝐒 𝐈 𝐗

𝐀 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐖𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧

At the edge of Kelrose's perimeter, Briéa and Daskel lay in the shade on freshly-cut grass. Reihan had been spending most of her day in tutoring sessions and Aesira was assisting a Prime charged with looking over the younger mystics. It had been a while since the two were alone.

Briéa leans back into Daskel, his arms wrapped around her, fingers tracing imaginary lines between the dark freckles on her skin. Her eyes close and she breathes in deeply. Daskel smells like the freshness of his soap and the smell of the grass, cut just this morning, is fresh. Mystics bustle around the grounds. Birds sing their songs. This is peace.

"So tell me, when you're Shield, what happens to me." Briéa chuckles and cranes her neck to look back at Daskel, a smile on her face.

"Well, you could perhaps go live among the common folk." He scrunches his face in contempt at that. Briéa laughs. "Or you could follow me around like a puppy dog." A roll of his eyes. She turns back to Kelrose, the building a beautiful sight in the afternoon sun. One of her fingers trails along the ring he wears, the one that matches hers. His charm, a pale peridot, set in the black band. Briéa's voice becomes quieter, "Or you could petition for a spot on the council." Despite his own gifts, Daskel has never been one the council has kept an eye on. Countless times Briéa has asked Ennell why. Every time she's told Daskel is too shy of a boy.

Give him a seat in that crescent and the council would eat him alive.

Daskel snorts and Briéa whirls around, breaking the gentle hold his arms had around her. "I'm serious. You're wickedly talented and more intelligent than half of the council."

"I don't think I'm what they're looking for."

Briéa groans. "Is that what you truly think or just what you've been told?"

It's inevitable that Briéa will join the council, but she wants Daskel to come with her. Aesira wants to explore the continents then comes back to Kelrose as a Prime. Reihan will probably end up living among the common folk once they graduate. The thought of losing Daskel as well hurts Briéa too much to imagine for too long. She fears a lonely life awaits her as Shield. Ennell and Zaara have never had to worry about loneliness, they've given their lives to one another. Briéa figures that Bran will be Zaarin's partner and accompany him wherever they go. Unless he realizes just how stupid Zaarin actually is. But if he hasn't done that by now, he might not ever.

And that leaves Briéa.

Alone.

"Well it's true Bri! Do you honestly think I'd be a good fit for the council?"

Of course not. He's too idealistic for the pragmatic, hard-bitten mentality of the Rose Council. Briéa knows this. But she could sway the council into thinking they could utilize Daskel and his difference in thinking. If not the council, then surely Zaarin.

Daskel sighs, she's taken too long to respond and that's answer enough. No point in trying to convince him otherwise now. For a fleeting moment, she sees hints of shame pass over his face. But then he sighs, shrugs, and a nonchalant facade takes its place. "Besides, I might get too sick of them after a while." He attempts a joke. Briéa manages to muster a weak smile.

"I just want you to be there with me when it's time to move on from Kelrose." When he goes to brush a piece of hair behind her ear, she leans into his soft hand. Then turns her head to delicately kiss his palm. "I want us to be together," she says against his skin.

Then Briéa brings Daskel's lips to hers. A hand curls into her hair as she pushes down on Daskel's chest. His heart pounds against her hand. Daskel's kisses are soft but the grip he has on her hip tightens when Briéa slides her legs over his lap. Her mind begins to run wild with all the indecent ways the two of them could easily earn expulsion if they were caught. Oh, if only they were tucked away in a dorm, or even a godsdamned classroom, anywhere but the very open grounds.

Before she lets herself go too far, she pulls back, pressing a kiss to his jaw and then his cheek. "Don't leave." He understands all of her unspoken words just by searching her eyes.

Don't leave, not now, not when we've left Kelrose, not ever.

Daskel kisses her again. Slow and deep. No fever or hurry. His promise is written in the way his mouth moves against hers, the mutual understanding that he isn't going anywhere.

"I am yours, Daskel Aten," the words are mumbled against him. "You have my heart, now and forever."

"And I will be with you until the end." His finger brushes her cheek.

Until the end.

Briéa is about to drag him inside where they don't have to worry about any propriety. So she pulls away with a grin, ready to suggest they go somewhere more private. But before she can get the words out she smells the smoke.

Daskel darts up and Briéa rolls off to the side. Panicked eyes everywhere begin turning towards Kelrose.

Now they see the flames.